Keith Yeadon: Boomers and Occupiers, Republicans and Democrats need to work to help everyone (Guest column)

A man protests with Move to Amend and Occupy Grand Rapids in front of the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building Friday, January 20, 2012. Guest columnist Keith Yeadon says: "Get off the hysteria and seek a balance between the wants of the few and the needs of the many." But he also has issues for the Boomers of his generation. Cory Morse | MLive.com

Keith Yeadon, of Rockford, is calling for groups from all sides to work together to solve problems.

By Keith Yeadon

Given my Zodiac sign of Libra, it should not surprise anyone I am often given to looking at both sides of situation, studying it as it relates to the whole, and recommending a course of action that provides a balance.

I am neither Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green Partier, Tea Partier, et al, but rather an American; Conservative about some things, liberal about others.

I am well-educated. I have been around the world. I am a decorated veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps with cross-training in six different military occupational specialties.

In my civilian business pursuits, I am as accomplished. I have owned a business. I have started at the bottom on more than one occasion and when my mission was complete, turned it over to the next person and did it again.

My personal life has taken many turns. While that has been a "Long and winding road" (The Beatles, 1970), my destination has always remained the same.

I am often given to telling the younger members of our faith to rise up and take it to the streets. I am also given to encouraging them to use their electronic media for social change, in that they should use a portion of their social media time to engage their elected representatives with their concerns.

Keith YeadonCourtesy photo

Having come of age in a time of war and great social change in our country, as well as an economic upheaval that rivals our current situation, I am often chagrined when I am taken to task for not "towing the line,” by some of my peers.

I often take heat from younger people for not immediately jumping on board with some perceived, hysterical, impending disaster if we don't do something now.

First, my peers. Do you not recall marching in the streets against the war pigs and the defense contracting war profiteers? Now, the first wave boomers (There are two divisions of baby boomers, in my opinion. The latter have been cleaning up after the former ever since) are running the show in that they are making up a good portion of the executives of the companies and a good portion of our elected representatives.

Remember "Hell No! We Won't Go!"? I watched with horror as the cops waded in on civil rights demonstrations, anti-war demonstrations, and political demonstrations. Indeed, the horror of watching college students being gunned down by U.S. troops is forever etched in my brain. Why is it then, there is such apoplectic reaction to the "Occupiers?"

In addition, the right-to-work laws -- especially the one in Michigan -- are nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt by gutless lawmakers to break the largest public sector unions.

What they have done is entangled me in their web. They could easily, through contract negotiations, have arranged a balance with retirement/health care contributions with regard to the needs of the employees alongside the demands of the taxpayers.

Instead, they chose a cowardly route that impacts private sector companies and employees.

I also agree the Affordable Care Act is not the best option. Rather than just repealing it and returning to the status quo, why not suggest a solution. It would seem no one has a viable alternative, but would rather just say "NO" to everything.

Here's one: Roll all of the government health care options (Medicare/Medicaid, the VA for example) into one giant program, hand out vouchers to all of the citizens, and have them buy insurance from any private company they choose.

Also, you could end tax-exempt status for all of the religious entities in the country. Ten percent would be a nice rate. Sound familiar?

Switch the new workers to a Roth IRA plan instead of FICA while keeping a portion of their contribution to fund the program until the last person collects. Simple solutions that would work.

And if all you Republicans were so interested in creating jobs, why has marijuana not been legalized. Do you have any clue as to the return we, as a nation, would receive? How many small businesses would "crop" up? How many craft growers would be paying taxes? How much would we receive in sales taxes? How much would we save on enforcing archaic drug laws?

Now to the Occupier generation. The only thing I owe anyone is the same thing I owe every American: The right to pursue your own path to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Beyond that, you're on your own.

To the occupiers, specifically. Occupy? Can't just march down the street, hold rallies, etc. Must you occupy some public area my tax dollars are funding? I notice not many areas get occupied in the winter months.

When I go to a public park, for instance, I do not want to have to be burdened with your lack of respect. You are now infringing upon my right to pursue happiness. And there are many who rue the day they attempted to infringe my rights. As many of our freedoms are "of", they are just as much freedoms "from." So, "Hey, you! Stay off of my cloud!" (The Rolling Stones, 1965)

The moral of this story: Get off the hysteria and seek a balance between the wants of the few and the needs of the many.

Each political party -- Mr. Obama in particular -- take note. You were not elected to be president of the Democrats, but rather the president of the United States of America.

Your task is to seek a balance that will serve all of America and to put aside your gerrymandering. Put aside your ilk's self-serving need for re-election, and make the hard choices.